Amazon’s LoveFilm inks a deal for Europeans to stream ABC-TV shows

By Stefany ZarobanAssociate Director of Research

This follows a similar deal with U.K. broadcasters BBC and ITV.

LoveFilm International Ltd., the streaming video service based in the United Kingdom that is owned by Amazon.com Inc., has signed a deal with Disney to add ABC television shows to its European line-up.

European consumers who are LoveFilm members will now be able to watch such television shows at “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Lost” and others. This is the latest in a series of deals LoveFilm has secured in recent months, including agreements with the Sony and Warner Bros. TV and movie studios and U.K. TV broadcasters BBC and ITV.

LoveFilm, which was acquired by Amazon in February 2011, says it has some 2 million members in the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. In October, Amazon inked a similar deal with Disney that allows Amazon Prime members in the United States to live stream Disney movies and ABC-TV shows. Amazon Prime is the e-retailer’s free shipping service.

LoveFilm’s subscription service starts at £4.99 ($7.63) per month and includes physical DVD rentals via postal mail. The video-on-demand service is available on 175 devices including PCs, iPads, Internet-connected TVs, Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360.

“LoveFilm members want top-class TV shows, as well as movies, to watch instantly as part of their subscription,” says Simon Calver, CEO of LoveFilm. “Today’s deal with Disney brings them access to some of the best American TV content ever produced.”